Haunted Places in British Columbia

The Hotel Vancouver was built in the late 1930’s, built for the Canadian Pacific Railway by William Cornelius Van Horne – at which time, it was a magnitude for its age – towering the surrounding buildings its copper roof glistened in the sunlight. In the current era, even though the copper roof has turned green, it still is one of Vancouver’s finest buildings with marble, mirrors, stone facades and sculptures; mahogany and maple furnishings, towers/gables/ and turets in the style of a French chateau. Located in the heart of Vancouver, down from Robson Street and Gastown. this historic building has been given careful preservation and renovations. Known for its decor, its nightlife/club, and restaurants; this pad even has its own health club and indoor pool. It also has a Ghost – an elegantly gowned guest from the 1930’s who was known to be a long-staying guest of the hotel from 1939 to 1940. Her name was not recorded, but the former elevator operators knew her well – she loved riding the elevators often. We have yet to uncover the full story – but sightings continue of her riding up and down the elevator, but never seen outside of it.

House on corner of Cambie and King Edward:

History coming soon. “used to be a nunnery and there was a large fire where they all perished … everyone who bought the house sold it less than 3 months later … exorcists were called in numerous times to try and banish the spirits making life miserable for the people who owned it” (Sandi, Van-Goth list)

House on 7th Street and Ash:

Just off across from this block pictured below, is a historic house (pictured next to it) that has a great history of haunting in Vancouver. It is to be demolished in 2002 for building of office complexes. It’s located just down the street from Sports Junkies.

The Old Spaghetti Factory, River street, Gas Town, Vancouver, B.C.:

History coming soon. Ghost of a man that on occasion shows up in the women’s bathroom when a lady is in there by herself. Supposedly he walks out of a stall, looks at the woman in the facilities and proceeds to laugh at her and walk out. ( -Myst, Van-Goth list)

The Vogue Theater, 918 Granville Street, Vancouver, B.C.:

Previously a movie house, the Vogue is used for stage productions today. It has numerous dressing rooms to accomodate a large number of performers. First leased before completed to the Toronto-based Odeon chain. Paul L. Nathanson, president of the Odeon group, thought live stage performances were outdated and turned the theater into a movie house. April 15, 1941 – theater’s first night gala featured the movie “I See Ice” and during this year could claim to be the most up-to-date movie house in the city. Modernistic with an art deco facade, a 63′ high sign adorned with a 10′ tall figure of the Roman Goddess of the Moon – Diana, it was a favorite hotspot amongst sophisticated Vancouverites.

In the 1960’s Vancouver changed – Vancouver’s Theater row – the Orpheum, the Capitol, and the Vogue became part of a string of grimy cafes, shabby bookstores, and pawn shops. Revitalization attempts failed and theater-goers were reduced.

1967 Vogue receives its first major face-lift and its new style fit in with its surrounding neighbors.

1987 Vogue closes its doors as a first-run movie house. (until 1991)

During its box-office days concession workers reported seeing a spectre in a long coat haunting the building. Odeon management suppressed the stories for fear of losing attendance.

1991 Vogue re-opens as a venue for live-performers. This is when staff started to notice strange happenings: one morning several posters that were piled on a storage area shelf at lock-up the previous night were found spread neatly on the floor,; house staff has reported chains being dropped on a wooden floor (sounds of); unexplained thumping and bumping noises heard during times when no one should have been in the performance area; basement heavy fire doors with spring closures were seen to open and shut on their own; eerie-looking narrow corridor in the basement has had a few sightings – where dressing rooms extended off of – feelings of spirits brushing by them (former tech. director Ken St. Pierre experienced this and after it brushed him he caught a view out the corner of his eye of a shadow being).

1994 – Bill Allman, Vogue staff, dismissed the stories until once in the basement felt someone behind him was about to grab him, wheeled around and caught a shadowy impression of someone sailing by the door. The next month, a friend of one of the staff members saw an apparation in the projection booth. Bill had a second encounter while alone at the theater – during setup of a tribute to the Beatles, heard drums that were left on the stage being played until he rounded the corner then they stopped. Sticks sitting on the kit at the time. No way anyone could of been there to do that. Later that evening the phantom drummer was heard again this time by a stage carpenter who was locking up the theater.

following months unusual activity at the Vogue decreased.

November 1, 1995 – “Unforgettable: The Music of Nat King Cole” starring Montreal Jazz singer Densil Pinnock opened a two-month run at the Vogue – one member of the supporting cast, Shane McPherson, during rehearsals heard strange noises – sound of what appeared to be cloth rubbing together which he dismissed until the evening performance of Nov. 14 as doing a routine performance of his role as Mel Torme, performing the Route 66 dance number, during his tap solo, as he danced he looked at the audience, and when he turned toward stage left saw a man standing under the exit sign by the front row – form was solid, mid-30’s, close-cropped dark hair, tall with narrow face, wearing a cream-colored dinner jacket. What struck McPherson strangely was that the man’s body was turned toward the stage with his right hand extended behind him as though he had closed the exit door something that would not ordinarily be done in middle of a performance. As the dancer continued to watch, the man looked up at him, made eye contact, with blank expression on his face. Then he was gone – faded out/dissolved. He lost track of where he was and eneded the number early. At intermission he questionned staff and no one else saw it.

next day, technician David Raun, encountered the same phantom. As performing lockup he walked to the area in front of the stage and looked up towards the projection booth – he saw someone standing in the doorway. Although the body appeared to be in the shadows, the face was clear, clean shaven main with short hair and chiselled features with dark eyebrows. It faded away like McPherson’s tale. Several days later heard McPherson’s tales and they compared notes. Few months earlier than than – Raun while working up on the catwalk above the stage felt something brush his right shoulder and pass behind his back, the air got cold and he shivered, he could see no one.

Summer 1996 – Stephanie, box office worker, was alone in the lobby one afternoon when she suddenly sensed a presence – saw a glimpse of a shape climbing the balcony stairs.

This spectre has been seen by at least 6 people on different occassions since the 1991 re-opening.

Friday June 6, 1997 – last performance of “Gabereau” a popular CBC radio program hosted by Vicki Gabereau was taped before a sold-out performance at the Vogue. She started out talking about the Vogue’s history and her connection to cinema during childhood, she said the theater was haunted by a ghost of a man in a cream-colored dinner jacket. During one of her interviews an ear-piercing squeal erupted from the house speakers – the technicians went to work on the problem and the noise ceased, but a few minutes later the cacophony arose again, forcing staff to temporarily stop the taping, and while the staff described the case as of electronic cross-over in the audio system, there were some in the audience who felt she evoked the ghost and now he was using the speakers to let everyone know he was there.

About Leaf

Leaf McGowan is an artist, writer, photographer, folklorist, and adventurer who suffers from wanderlust. He loves to investigate folklore, sacred sites, archaeological sites, and places of mystery - writing about them and taking photos of the sites. He is a ghost writer, content producer, blogger, artist, bodypainter, tarot reader, and web developer. You can contact him at 1-800-605-9705 or leafmcgowan@gmail.com or leaf@technogypsie.com.

2 Responses to Haunted Places in British Columbia

The house on 7th Street and Ash was actually moved just down the block, all in one piece. I was riding my bike home from working the late shift, and the road was blocked off and I got to see them move it. It was super cool to see an entire building being moved down the street! I talked to the foreman and the new buildings were only allowed to be built if they saved and restored this heritage house. A similar office tower project was ended because some homeless guy had burned down the heritage house he had broken into and was squatting in before the reno crew could fix up the place, so this house actually had a guard 24/7 to keep vandals from burning it down! You can see it on google street view if you put in 2315 Ash st., it’s gorgeous now, and a coffee house if you want to go visit it! Daily Perk!